Locomotive shroud closure



Nov. 6, 1951 R. F. ABELL LOCOMOTIVE SHROUD CLOSURE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1948 FIG.3

INVENTOR ,N F m T W m E 6, 1951 I R. F. ABELL 2,573,755

LOCOMOTIVE SHROUD CLOSURE Filed Feb. 14, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 \NVENTOR Roy F. Hbell ATTORNEY .tracted positions;

Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -asvavss V, 1 Q

LOCOMOTIVE- SHROUD CLOSURE Roy Abell Schenectady, N. Y., assignorto American Locomotive Company, New York, 7 Y.,acorporation of NewYork A Application February 14, 1948 Serial No. 8,349

" 11 Claims. (01.105-2) This invention relates to a cover structure, and more particularly to such astructure for a coupler compartment on the front end of the stream-lined body of a locomotive.

The shroud of a stream-linedlocomotive is customarily fabricated with an opening for a coupler in its lower front portion. A closure or door for the opening, shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud, is sometimes provided to diminish air resistanceand to,

improve the appearance of the locomotive. Hinged closures are known inthe art, but they have proved in some respects unsatisfactory.

An object of this invention is to provide such a cover structure in the form of twin door units swingably mounted on carriers which are in turn swingably mounted on the locomotive body, the door units being shaped to conform substantially to. the stream lines of the shroud when they are moved into closed position. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the fronten of a stream-lined locomotive showing the cover structure of the inventionapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the cover structure locked in closed position with a portion of each of the twin door units cut away "to show a portion of one carrier; a portion of the base support, and a portion of the locking mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cover structure locked in closed position with the base support shown alternately in supporting and re- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the base support;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cover structure locked in closed position upon the shroud and with the top portion of the left unit and portions of the shroud and ornamentation shown as cut away; V

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cover structure, with the right door unit swung tofully open position and with the left door unit swung into partially open position, the top portion of the left unit being shown as partially cut away;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one carrier member with the door mounts pivoted out of normal attaching position; 1

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the left door unit.

Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6 are on the same scale, and

.Figs. 4, 7, and 8 are on alar er scale.

' Referring in detail to the drawings, the streamlined shroud I0 (Fig. 1) ofa locomotive is formed with an opening II at its front end through which a coupler I2 may extend. A cover structure, generally indicated at [3, is providedjor such opening and comprises twin units I4 andl5, having panel bodies shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the front portion of the shroud. Each unit is mounted upon a carrier, generally indicated as IE, (Figs. 6 and 7) which is swingable from open position, as shown in the right half of Fig. 6, to closed position, as shown in Fig. 5, and vice versa. Each carrier I6 com prises a pair of spaced horizontally arranged bars ll pivotally mounted at their inner "ends on bolts l8 which are supported by the brackets i9 and maintained in position by castle nuts 21 having the conventional cotter pins 22. The

inner brackets 19 may be made integral withor permanently secured (as by welding) to a mounting angle 23 which in turn may besecured to the shroud by conventional means. "Vertically arranged bars 24 maintain the bars I! in spaced relation and serve also to equalize operational stresses thereon. The outer ends of the'carrier bars I! are pivotally connected to the door units H in the same manner as their inner endsfthe mounting plates 25 being welded to the inner wall of the door unit. Thus, each door unit is pivotally rotatable in relation to the carrier, and each carrier is rotatable pivotally in relation to the shroud. It should here be noted that the lateral ends of each of the twin door units are free.

A retractable support member, generally indicated as 26 (Fig. 4),is provided to be disposed beneath the door unit assembly when the latter is in closed position. Such supportis generally U-shaped, as viewed from above'in Fig. 6, and comprises a longitudinal center rib 21 to which "an' inside ran 28 and an outside rail 29 are "secured as by welding. The end portions of the rails are turned inwardly into parallel position to form two pairs of lugs 3|. Holes are drilled through lugs 3| and are in alignment for the reception of bolts 32 for the rotatable mounting of the support thereon. Such bolts are secured in position by castle nuts 33 in the'usual'm'anthe door units in closed position. R.od 42 (Fig.

2) extends vertically through an orifice 43 (Fig.

8) in the top portion 44 of the l'eft door unit l4;

Such rod is formed with-a- U-shaped' extension 45 at its upper end, the outer leg 46 of which isadapted to fit into the orifice:4;1 (Fig, 6 inzthe,

top portion of the right door unit. A. retaining flange 48 on the outer leg 46 and a retaining' flange 49 on the rod are provided to locate the red at desired elevation-inlocked position. A

bracket 5| (Fi 2) is welded'to theinner wall of the left door unit and is formedwith an aperture throughits upper extension throughwhic-h the-rod 42 is slidable. A-second bracket 52 is welded to the inner face -of the right door unit "andis formed with anaperture-through its upperextension for-the reception of the latch 53 6| and the orifice 43 in the top portion 44 of the left door unit 14; carrying with it the latch 53. Such upward movement will be limited as desired by the adjustable position of the nut 54, and. its downward movement will be-limited by the location of the retaining flanges 48 and-49.

When it is'desired to move the door units into closed'position; the support member 25 is released from its retracted locked position, as shown in "thedotted-line alternate position in Fig. 3; by

withdrawalof the pin Whom the locking lugs 3.]; The supportmemberis then'lowered tosupporting position by rotation about'the pivot bolts 32. The door units may thenbe swungmanually from their fully opened'position, as shown in the right half of Fig. 6; by means of the carriers l'6. Upon reaching fully closed position, the looking rod'42, which is carried by the left door unit I4,'may be lifted to the extent permitted'by the nut 54 and rotated into position so that leg '4'! ma be alignedwith the orifice 41, and the latch "member '53 will be aligned with the aperturevin bracket 52'.

The rod then can be lowered into locking position,

ornamentation is' usually provided at'the front "end ofdiesel locomotives and" is shown herein While there has been hereinbefore described an approved'embodiment of the invention, itwill be understood that many and various changes andmodifications in form, arrangement of'parts I and details of construction thereof may be made 1 without departing fromthe spirit'ofthe'invention, and that all such changes and modifications asifallwithinthe scope of the appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention;

Theinvention claimed=and desired to'be se-' cured by Letters Patent is:

1. A closure for a stream-lined locomotive 'shroudcomprising a pair of door units-shapedto conform substantially to the curvature--ofthe shroud, and'a carrier'memb'er for each'unit-pivotally mounted at its inner end to the locomotive structure and having its outer end in pivotal connection with the door unit intermediate the doors lateral ends so that the door is swingable in relation to the carrier, each of said carrier members being swingable laterally to move the door unit into either open or closed position so that the door unitwill;confornrntibstantially to. the curvature of theshrou'd in either position.

2. A closure for a stream-lined locomotive shroud comprising a pair of carrier members pivotally;mountedon the locomotive structure, and a door unit pivotally mounted on the outer end of each carrier intermediate the doors lateral ends 'so' that-the'doorhas free ends movable in relation to the carrier, each such door unit being shaped;so:, that :it'.will conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud when in open and closed positions.

3. A closure for astream-lined locomotive shroudcomprising a pair'of door units shaped to'conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud'when ineither'open or closed-position, a carrier member for each unit -.pivotally mounted at'its inner end on the locomotive structure and having its outer end in pivotal connection with the door unit intermediate the lateral ends of the doorso that-such door ends are free'toswin'g in relation to the carrier, each ofsaid carrier members being swingable laterally'to move the doorunit into open and closed positions so that the door will conform substantially'to the curvatureof the shroud'when in either-open orlc'losed positions, and supporting means {or said door units pivotally mounted-on the locomotive structure.

4. A closure for a stream-lined; locomotive shroud comprising'a-pairofcarrier members pivotally mounted on the-locomotive structure and adapted to swing horizontally, a door unit pivotally mounted on the outer" end of 1 each carrier and having free. ends movable inreference-to the carrier, retractable supporting means for the door unitspivotally mountedonthe locomotive structure, and-locking meansto maintain mounted 'onthe shroud each 'carrier having a.

pivotal connection with a door unitintermediate the lateralendsof the door so that suchfends are free,.-to move in .relation to the carrier, .such doors being 'shape'd'to conform substantially to the curvatureof the shroud when in either .open or closed position.

6. In combination with the shroud .ofa streamlined locomotive having. an opening therein fora coupler, a pair of door units for said opening,

5 carrier means pivotally :mounted at their inner ends on the shroud :and having; pivotal connection attheir outer. ends with the door 'unitsso that the carrier meanscmayiswing with reference to the shroud and the doforunitsamay swingin reference to the carrier means, retractable supporting means for the door unit adapted ito support such door units when the latter are in'closed position, and locking -meaHsfOrsuch door: units "when the Iatter are-in closed-position, .the shape of such door units-icohforming substantiallyito the curvature of the shroud when in either open or closed positions.

7. In combination with a shroud of a streamlined locomotive having an opening therein for a coupler, a pair of carriers hinged to the shroud on laterally opposite sides of the coupler, a pair of door units for the coupler opening, each of such doors being pivotally mounted intermediate its lateral sides upon the outer end of a carrier, and being shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud when the door is moved into either open or closed position.

8. In combination with the shroud of a streamlined locomotive having an opening therein for a coupler, a pair of door carriers hinged to the shroud on laterally opposite sides of the coupler and adapted to swing toward and away from the coupler, and a pair of doors shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud, each of which is hinged to the outer extremity of a carrier to be rotatable in reference thereto, the arrangement of the carriers and the doors being such that the carriers are swingable away from the coupler to move the doors into alignment with the curvature of the shroud when in open position, and are swingable toward the coupler to move the doors into alignment with the curvature of the shroud when in closed position.

9. In combination with the shroud of a streamlined locomotive having an opening therein for a coupler, a pair of door carriers hinged to the shroud on laterally opposite sides of the coupler and adapted to swing toward and away from the coupler, a pair of doors shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud, each of which is hinged to the outer extremity of a carrier to be rotatable in reference thereto, the arrangement of the carriers and the doors being such that the carriers are swingable away from the coupler to move the doors into alignment with the curvature of the shroud when in open position, and are swingable toward the coupler to move the doors into alignment with the curvature of the shroud when in closed position.

10. A closure for the coupler opening in a locomotive shroud of the class which is curved for stream-lined effect comprising a pair of carriers hinged to the locomotive structure on laterally opposite sides of coupler, and a pair of door units for the coupler opening, each of such doors being pivotally mounted intermediate its lateral ends upon the outer end of a carrier andbeing shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud when the door is moved into either open or closed position.

11. A closure for the coupler opening in a locomotive shroud of the class which is curved for stream-lined effect comprising a pair of carriers hinged to the shroud on laterally opposite sides of the coupler and adapted to swing toward and away from the coupler, and a pair of doors shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the shroud, each of which is hinged to the outer extremity of a carrier to be rotatable in reference thereto, the arrangement of the carriers and the doors being such that the carriers are swingable away from the coupler to move the doors into alignment with the curvature of the shroud when in open position, and are swingable toward the coupler to move the doors into alignment with the curvature of the shroud when in closed position.

ROY F. ABELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 58,548 Kast Oct. 2, 1866 662,434 Hibbard Nov. 27 1900 1,090,620 Hubbard Mar. 17, 1914 1,116,817 Heller Nov. 10, 1914 1,124,655 Powell et a1. Jan. 12, 1915 1,126,640 Jones Jan. 26, 1915 1,308,287 Lidtke July 1, 1919 1,462,766 Post July 24, 1923 1,527,572 Olson Feb. 24, 1925 1,748,849 Schmidt Feb. 25, 1930 1,776,464 Blackman Sept. 23, 1930 2,075,953 Miller Apr. 6, 1937 2,244,002 Dilworth June 3, 1941 2,254,470 Blomberg Sept. 2, 1941 2,266,303 Blomberg Dec. 16, 1941 

